Hangman (Marvel Comics)

Hangman
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Werewolf by Night #11 (Nov 1973)
Created by	Marv Wolfman and Gil Kane
In-story information
Alter ego	Harlan Krueger
Abilities	Skilled in use of rope and scythe Extensive knowledge of American cinema

Hangman
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Tower of Shadows #5 (May, 1970)
Created by	Roy Thomas and Barry Smith
In-story information
Alter ego	Jason Roland
Team affiliations	Night Shift Lethal Legion
Abilities	Magically enhanced physical attributes and virtually indestructible rope Ability to levitate and climb rope without attaching it Mind-link with Satannish

Hangman is the name of two fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Harlan Krueger was born in Los Angeles, California. He was a fanatical moviegoer who idolized movie stars of the past (such as John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, and Alan Ladd). He identified with these heroic figures, developing a simplistic view of good and evil in real life, deciding that evildoers should pay for their crimes with their lives.

After being court-martialed from the army for torturing prisoners of war, Krueger resolved to take the law into his own hands and became the masked vigilante the Hangman. His modus operandi involved executing male criminals while leaving female ones alive but imprisoned to 'protect them' from corruption (many died of starvation while in captivity). After years of stalking criminals with a noose and scythe, he came into conflict with the Werewolf by Night. He later battled the Werewolf again and DePrayve. Hangman then seemingly allied with Doctor Glitternight and Moon Knight against the Werewolf. However, all three of them were illusions created by the ghost of the 19th century black magician Belaric Marcosa.

Hangman next stalked one of the Brothers Grimm, who had been stealing from diamond merchants. Mistaking one Brother Grimm (Jake) for his target (William), he pursued him to a pyrotechnics building and saw him seemingly die in an explosion. He was later one of the criminals captured by the Locksmith and Tiktok.

While attending a Hollywood costume party held for the premiere of a horror movie to 'purge' yet more 'unworthy souls' (in other words, target members of the film industry for execution), the Hangman killed a disguised woman, thus inadvertently violating his own moral code. As he knelt over the corpse in remorse, he was apparently fatally stabbed in the back by film reviewer Matthew O'Brien, who had been trying to stop the Hangman from his latest killing spree, impaling the Hangman on his own scythe.

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Wikipedia